Glendale is home to professional football, baseball and hockey. The Fiesta Bowl for years doled out free game tickets to curry favor among state lawmakers and local politicians, including Glendale City Council members, before ending the practice last year.

Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs and 30 other politicians recently came under scrutiny for taking game tickets from the college bowl. However, County Attorney Bill Montgomery last month announced he found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing because of inconsistent state laws on the acceptance of gifts for public officials, vague reporting requirements of elected officials and lobbyists and insufficient records by the Fiesta Bowl to support prosecution.

But Montgomery recommended tougher guidelines, including an outright ban or severe restrictions on gifts.

Scruggs said she was perplexed why she was singled out in the county investigation when other Glendale council members and staff also had accepted game tickets in the past.

Jerry Cobb, a spokesman for the county attorney, said there was no wrongdoing on Scruggs' part. "Everything seemed fine as far as reporting and disclosure." Cobb said.

He could not say why Scruggs was the sole Glendale official singled out. He said the list of names came from the Fiesta Bowl.

The Fiesta Bowl, which is attempting to preserve its non-profit status with the IRS, sent letters in June to seek reimbursement from Scruggs and other politicians.

The college bowl game is under scrutiny by federal, state and county agencies for its financial and political dealings.

Fiesta Bowl attorney Nathan Hochman would not comment on why the letter went only to Scruggs and not other Glendale politicians. "We are still in the process of following up with leads and fully cooperating with the federal, state, and local authorities," Hochman said in a statement.

Scruggs told the group she attended at least two Fiesta Bowl games and that she has no intention of repaying the requested $218.90 because the tickets were unsolicited and it was her understanding that council participation was "expected" at the halftime ceremony because Glendale was the host city.

Scruggs and some council members say their presence at the games was important for networking and in representing the city.

It's that philosophy that leads to debate. Should elected leaders accept free tickets?

Five years ago, the council established an ethics policy that addressed gifts.

At the time, George Frederickson, the consultant tasked with helping the Glendale City Council put together its policy, noted the city must be a "gift and favor heaven" given its numerous sporting venues and events.

Frederickson, a professor at the University of Kansas, recently recalled his advice to the council .

"I recommended that only token gifts, such as lapel pins with a value of no more than $25, be accepted in their capacity as city officials," he said. "I recommended that if a city official was given one or more sporting event tickets with a face value of more than $25, only because they were city officials, it should be a violation of the city code of ethics."

Frederickson said: "Inasmuch as I was not invited back I suspect they were not that interested in my recommendations."

The council opted against stricter limits on gift-taking, choosing instead to follow state law.

State law prohibits gifts from lobbyists and those aimed at influencing votes.

Apart from those prohibitions, council members can accept gifts, whether a box of chocolates, a bottle of wine or Super Bowl tickets. Under state law they are required to annually report gifts worth $500 or more.

In 2008, Scruggs received two free tickets to Super Bowl XLII, valued at $700 each.

The Arizona Cardinals, which last year stopped giving state lawmakers free tickets, still offers seats to Glendale leaders.

"The mayor has been a frequent guest at our games, including recently," team spokesman Mark Dalton said. "The council members as a whole have been invited but less frequently."

Dalton said invitations to Glendale leaders is "goodwill for the team."

Scruggs told The Republic there is value in being a guest of the Cardinals, saying she attended four games in 2011.

"Each time I have attended a game, the Cardinals' many guests have included elected officials at all levels of government as well as leaders in business, the military, social service organizations, and various public policy organizations," she said.

The mayor says it helps build relationships and promote the city.

"The reality is that a lot of healthy dialogue takes place about issues that are important to Glendale, our state, and our nation in the informal setting of the stadium loft," Scruggs said.

Valley image-maker Jason Rose believed there are times when it's permissible for elected leaders to accept an invitation such as in Tempe, Phoenix and Glendale, which all have major sports facilities and events.

"How are you going to be a responsible leader and host of the Super Bowl, Fiesta Bowl or BCS if you don't experience the operations, the pageantry, the economic impact?" he said. "It would be irresponsible not to experience those things and be voting on them as a mayor or city council member. You need to see them yourself to maximize them for your city."

He added: "There is a difference between doing due diligence and sipping Dom Pérignon in someone's suite."

Others disagree.

Tim Hogan, executive director of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, said the Fiesta Bowl scandal is evidence that gift-taking is never acceptable.

"It gives rise to all these questions; what are you giving in exchange for the gifts, whether it's tickets or anything else?" Hogan said. "Anytime a public official is given something the question is what are they giving in return and you could avoid that question entirely by saying, 'no gifts.'"

Hogan said elected leaders should pay for game tickets out of their own pocket.

"We all would have lived without the mayor attending the Super Bowl," Hogan said.

He said setting a value limit on gifts also is unacceptable.

"Once you decide that there are circumstances that it's OK to take gifts you got the Fiesta Bowl situation and all that over again," he said.

Council members' views are equally varied.

Councilwoman Norma Alvarez takes no gifts, saying, "We have no business accepting anything from anybody because they expect you to do something for them."

If her peers feel the need to attend a game, they need to pay for the ticket, she said.

"We get a salary," she added.

Councilman Phil Lieberman said if council members attend a game as part of their official duties and the cost is in the range of $50 and doesn't include "sell-able" seats, he sees no problem accepting a free ticket.

"We are on the stadium floor on halftime being exhibited to the world," Lieberman said. "If we are going to appear as city council people, as elected officials then maybe we deserve those free tickets."

Councilwoman Yvonne Knaack said the city should revisit its ethics policy.

"There should be some discussion on the tickets," Knaack said. "I do think with what has happened especially in the future that we would be given the opportunity to buy tickets, certainly not take them."

Asked if the city should pick up the tab, Knaack said, "I would prefer to pay for them personally."

Scruggs questioned the need to amend the city's policy where there is opportunity to network with influential leaders at sporting and entertainment events.